Wizards Receive Disabled Player Expectation for Cam Whitmore

A scary injury to first year Washington Wizards forward Cam Whitmore opens up a roster spot that they can fill.

Dec 4, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard (11) drives to the basket as Washington Wizards forward Cam Whitmore (1) defends in the first half at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

NBA insider and member of the media Jake Fischer has officially informed Washington Wizards fans that third-year forward Cam Whitmore will be out for the remainder of the season, along with the Wizards being granted a disabled player exception as he continues to recover from a blood clot.

The Washington Wizards have been granted a disabled player exception for Cam Whitmore, sources say. Whitmore is out for the year recovering from a blood clot in his shoulder.

— Jake Fischer (@JakeLFischer) January 21, 2026

The news of Whitmore suffering from DVT came a little over a month ago, as speculation over his shoulder soreness grew and team doctors looked further into the issue. Doctors uncovered the reason for his soreness and acted instantly, leaving him out indefinitely. Luckily for Whitmore, they were able to uncover the problem quickly and begin treatment before things escalated.

As for his season prior to the injury, things were quite up and down for the 21-year-old. Whitmore appeared in 21 games for Washington, logging 16.9 minutes per game. In his somewhat limited role, he was still able to make a solid impact as a scorer, averaging 9.2 points per game while shooting 45.6% from the field.

Despite the encouraging flashes Whitmore showed, it seemed as if head coach Brian Keefe wasn’t fully on board with his ability and play style, benching him and removing him from the rotation on multiple occasions. Keefe alluded to attitude and effort concerns as the reasoning behind Whitmore’s inconsistent playing time, but never once questioned his talent or ability, which was always evident.

Dec 1, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards forward Cam Whitmore (1) dunks the ball as Milwaukee Bucks guard Gary Trent Jr. (5) looks on in the second half at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Recovering from an injury like this can be a long and up-and-down process. Some players are able to return faster than others, largely depending on how developed the clot is when it’s discovered. With the Wizards in a rebuilding phase, there is no reason to rush Whitmore back this season, making it a clear move to request the disabled player exception so they can keep him in the organization while simultaneously filling another roster spot.

Who Washington chooses to sign remains largely unknown, but a decision will likely come sooner rather than later as the Wizards look to get a player into their program as quickly as possible. They could take a flyer on a young player the rest of the league has moved on from, add a veteran presence to the locker room, or bring in someone they believe can contribute to winning basketball right now.

Whichever direction they choose is up to Will Dawkins and the rest of the organization, and there’s no need to rush the decision given the likelihood of further roster changes as the trade deadline approaches.

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